These pages were originally made available on the North California Groups website which, unfortunately, no longer exists. The pages are provided here as an archive of that site and are currently being updated at irregular intervals.

From Contra Costa, the Immediate Family were active between 1965 and 1967. They recorded at least two numbers at Leo Kulka's Golden State Recorders, Wet Chant and the excellent Rubaiyat which eventually were released on the Big Beat Nuggets From The Golden State collection What A Way To Come Down. They later changed their name to The Fox. Tim Barnes was a member of Stoneground.

IMPERIAL MANGE REMEDY

Played Cabrillo College stadium 9-2-67.

INCREDIBLE FISH

A Country Joe-less Fish from late 67, Joe MacDonald had left the group in order to get married. They played the KPFA Benefit at the Fillmore Auditorium 30/10/67. Joe returned to the fold in early 1968.

INCREDIBLE JUSTICE LEAGUE

AKA The Justice League, from Richmond and comprising members of Captain Zoom and The Untouchables. Recorded some material in 1966/67 for Trident Productions that are due to be featured on a Trident Anthology. Some members went on to be in West.

An improvisational raga rock group, Hal Wagenet was a classically trained pianist who had switched to electric guitar as he felt it was a more expressive instrument. Vocalist Mickey Mader was a trained opera singer and the line up was completed with her husband Bill on rhythm guitar, Bill Gross on bass and talented drummer Chet Mothershed. They played the ballroom scene throughout 1967 but split up when Hal Wagenet joined It's A Beautiful Day in early 1968, which he considered a more suitable showcase for his unorthodox guitar style.
Thanks to Hal Wagenet.

Originating in Seattle as The West Coast Natural Gas, they relocated to San Francisco in late 1966. After cutting one 45 in 1967, their manager Matthew Katz changed the name to Indian Puddin' & Pipe in 1968, although Katz must have had another version of Indian Puddin' & Pipe as the two groups shared the bill at a show in Seattle. They recorded the four tracks credited to Indian Puddin' & Pipe on the 5th Pipe Dream album: Hashish, Water Or Wine, Beyond This Place and Two's A Pair, as well as providing the musical backing on Aquarian Dream which was attributed to It's A Beautiful Day. Shortly after this recording session the band split but Katz put another group using the same name carried on playing live shows and recorded more material, including two tracks which turned up on the Then & Now compilations of Katz acts in 1994. Barry Lewis, former member of The Hedds and Butch Engle & The Styx, played drums with this later line up.

David Savage | david~AT~savageheart~DOT~com | www;SavageHeart;com I played trumpet and harmonica with the band Indian Puddin' and Pipe in 68/69 in and around San Francisco; We played at the Headhunter club on Broadway in SF; I have several CDs out now; My website is www;SavageHeart;com;

INDIAN SUMMER

Don Branch - Keyboards
Mike Poggio - ?
Roy Garcia - Drums

Also featured a female vocalist and 12 string and lead guitarists. Don Branch had previously been a member of St. Helena's The Styx and the Welcoming Committee.

Infinity were from Turlock and were active between 1966 and 1968, and were managed by Vincent Lavery, AKA VJ Productions, out of Merced. They opened for outfits such as The Doors, Love, The Rascals, Charlie Musselwhite, Clear Light, The Music Machine, and the 13th Floor Elevators. Doug Rose replaced Jerry White after he left the band for college. Tom Aragon later went on to join Modesto's Weathervane shortly before they became Strange Laughter.

INITIAL SHOCK

William "Mojo" Collins - guitar
George Crowe
George Wallace

1966 Mind Disaster/It's Not Easy (BFD 0036)
1967 You Been A Long Time Comin'/I Once Asked (BFD 2022)

Originally from Butte, Montana and comprising members of local bands The Chosen Few and Mojo's MK IV, Initial Shock transferred to San Francisco and played the ballroom scene supporting many major acts. They released two 45's, the first when they were still resident in Montana. Four live songs recorded at The Avalon in 1968 later appeared on the It Crawled Out Of The Vaults Of KSAN series of cd's. William "Mojo" Collins later formed Sawbuck who released one album in 1971, and he has continued to record right up to the present time. George Wallace and George Crowe both later played in Yellowstone.

A loose conglomeration of musicians who made up the house band at the Jabberwock coffee house in Berkeley between 1964 -65. Members went on to Country Joe and the Fish and The Cleanliness and Godliness Skiffle Band.

A long-lived combo originating from the Peninsula area. This later group changed their name to The New Invaders around 1965 and recorded at least one record under that moniker. They featured Lydia Pense in the line up for a while and she made her vocal recording debut on one of their 45's.

Formed in 1967 by husband and wife David and Linda LaFlamme after the short lived Orkustra, and managed by Matthew Katz. Their first album, a blend of folk and psychedelia noteworthy for the combination of David LaFlamme's violin and Patti Santos' crystal clear vocals, contained the classic track White Bird, and the group was an immediate success. Former Charlatan George Hunter painted the distinctive artwork for the album cover. By the release of the second album, Marrying Maiden, in 1970 David and Linda LaFlamme were divorced, and Linda had left the group to form Titus' Mother, her replacement being Fred Webb. Jerry Garcia played pedal steel guitar
and banjo on two tracks; Hoedown and It Comes Right Down To You. Around this time tensions started to fragment the group and the line up seemed to change regularly, eventually David LaFlamme was forced out of the group he created although he later reformed the outfit as
White Bird. Over the years there has been a long running legal battle between David LaFlamme and Matthew Katz over the rights to the name It's A Beautiful Day. Currently the group is performing as The David LaFlamme Band